This invention relates broadly to gas generators; and particularly to solid fuel gas generators suitable for rapidly filling inflatable structures in the presence of humans.
Of particular interest in the present invention is its use for inflating safety cushions in passenger carrying vehicles. Such cushions are designed to be inflated rapidly and automatically to protect human occupants in the event of a collision of the vehicle with some other object.
Solid fuel gas generators for this purpose are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,779,281 to Maurice et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,319 to Kowalick et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,518 to Halstead et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,558,285 to Ciccone et al all teach gas generators using a solid gas generant material. However, all of these inventions are characterized by linear, sequential arrangements of the igniter, solid fuel, filtering means, and cooling means in cylindrical housings. Such structures have certain disadvantages in that they tend to be bulky, slow in response time, and tend to deliver damaging jets of gas to the structure to be inflated.